Experts call for improved access to family planning services

Experts on sexual and reproductive health have pressed home the need for a strategic objective to improve domestic funding in order to adequately cover family planning costs countrywide.

The experts spoke recently at a virtual family planning Policy Dialogue organized by the Nigeria Health Watch with the theme, ‘’Domestic Resources Mobilization for sustained Family Planning Services in Nigeria.

They noted that although the Nigeria Family Planning Blueprint, 2020-2024, outlines the country’s plans for achieving a revised target modern Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (mCPR) of 27% by 2024, funding remains inadequate to cover the unmet need for family planning services.

While delivering the keynoted address, Co-founder, Rotary Action Group for Reproductive, Maternal and Child health, prof. Emmanuel Adedolapo, said there was an impelling need to shift emphasis on reliance on foreign donors and leverage on local sources for funds to tackle family planning needs in the country.

He said that in addition to the reduction of allocation to family planning in the 2021 budget, there was the recent announcement of an 85% cut in funding to United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA by the UK government, further putting pressure on family planning programmes.

READ ALSO: China relaxes family planning rules, couples free to have three children

Also speaking, head of Programs, Education as a Vaccine, Nigeria, Toyin Chukwudozie, noted that the lack of adequate funding has led to the reduction in the availability of commodities for FP services which has also increased the rate of unintended pregnancies.

If FP services must improve in Nigeria, Country Representative, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Ms Ulla Elisabeth Mueller said the right kind of policies and an enabling environment must be in place.

Similarly, Chairman, Technical Management Committee, Association for Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP), Dr Ejike Oji, said it was necessary to begin with policy driven investment such as making sure that it is made a legislative agenda at the National Assembly so it can get the kind of attention it deserves.

Earlier in her address, Managing Director of the Nigeria Health Watch, Vivianne, Ihekweazu, said it was worrying that the Nigerian population is increasing more than the economy, resulting in low investment in critical sectors, such as health which is just 0.6% of GDP.

By Arinze Chijioke

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